


Behind Bars

by ZoneRobotnik



Series: Filling the Blanks [2]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen, High-Security is full of a bunch of creeps, Implied Sexual Content, Psychological Torture, Varian Angst (Disney)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:49:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26035936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZoneRobotnik/pseuds/ZoneRobotnik
Summary: While Rapunzel goes off to follow the black rocks to who-knows-where, Varian is taken to his new "home" for the duration of his sentence.
Relationships: Andrew | Hubert & Varian (Disney: Tangled)
Series: Filling the Blanks [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1801066
Comments: 19
Kudos: 63





	Behind Bars

**Author's Note:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

How long had it been since he was put in here? Days, weeks, months, maybe. Andrew had stopped counting or even caring, it made the waiting for rescue easier. And he knew the rescue would _happen_ , he was just…well, he kind of went off on his own and did this and they were letting him sit a while as punishment for being reckless. It’s also possible that they still hadn’t found him, he didn’t exactly tell anyone where he went…  
  
“Ow, not so hard!”  
  
“Quiet.”  
  
“I can walk, geez!”  
  
“I said to be _quiet_!”  
  
A smacking sound.  
  
“Agh!”  
  
He glanced over from his cot at the sound of a child’s voice, as well as a man’s. The speakers came into view as a child, maybe 14 or 15 at most, was hauled in chains to his door. The door was unlocked and he was roughly shoved inside and turned around before something was shoved into his arms and the door slammed in his face.  
  
“Hey, wait! How long am I going to be in here?!” He called, reaching up his chained hands to grip the bars. “They didn’t say!”  
  
“HAH! You think you’re _ever_ getting out?! You’re lucky you aren’t being _executed_ , you little _brat_!”  
  
Andrew rolled his eyes. As usual, the guards displayed their cruelty when they didn’t have to worry about the public seeing it. The boy stared out through the bars, his body slowly slumping as his reality sunk in.  
  
Andrew sighed and slowly stood up before walking over to him. “Hey.”  
  
The boy startled and looked up at him, a raccoon in his arms and bags under his blue eyes that looked on the verge of tears. “W-Who are you?”  
  
“Name’s Andrew.” He smiled. “From Saporia.”  
  
“Saporia?” He glanced to the side. “Right. That…that one story mentioned it. It was a Kingdom that was annexed long ago. So, you’re…” He looked at him. “A Separatist?”  
  
“Mmhm. So, what are you in here for, huh?” He wrapped an arm around his shoulders and led him to sit on a cot. The raccoon swiped at him and he stepped back, raising an eyebrow. “Bit a of a feral pet for a kid.”  
  
“He’s just protective.” The kid said, letting the raccoon down and sitting down on the cot, staring at his still-chained hands.  
  
Andrew sat next to him with a sigh. “They didn’t remove those, huh? Well, don’t worry. Come lunchtime, someone will unlock them so you can eat. I dealt with it, too. It’s a show of domination, to make it clear to you that you’re a prisoner.”  
  
“Like the bars don’t already do that.” The boy mumbled.  
  
Andrew shrugged. “So, what’s your name?”  
  
“Varian.” He glanced up at him.  
  
“Well, Varian…” He moved off the cot and knelt in front of him, looking up at him instead of making the kid look up, so he didn’t have to strain his neck with the metal cuff that was connected to his handcuffs already doing that enough. “What did they put you in here with _me_ for? You’re a _kid_ , you shouldn’t be with an adult like me. You shouldn’t even be in _prison_.”  
  
“Oh, I…I did a lot of bad things.” Varian chuckled bitterly. “I stole the withered Sundrop Flower, I used truth serum on the entire castle by lacing chocolate chip cookies with it, I kidnapped the queen, I attacked the city…a lot of bad. I’m a traitor.”  
  
“Hm.” Andrew chuckled. “And all _I_ did was steal a book and attempt to kill someone.”  
  
“A book?” Varian asked.  
  
“Yeah, King Herz Der Sonne’s journal, with the famous map. They stopped me, but I tried and got put in here.” He gestured around them. “So, welcome to the dungeon, I guess. We get three meals a day, nice, cozy shared rooms, the walls are super-thin and the doors and windows have bars and there’s zero privacy, but at least there’s a roof, right?” He chuckled.  
  
Varian sighed and looked down at the chains on his wrists and ankles. “Thanks, I guess.” He said sadly, sniffling a bit.  
  
“Hey. Hey.” He took his hands in his. “Listen to me. No, look at me, _listen_ to me.” Varian looked at him. “They _want_ to see you miserable. It brings them a sick pleasure to see and hear you cry in here. So, you don’t ever cry here. You keep those tears hidden; you keep your smile on. You make them think that you _like_ it here, and it will _drive them mad_ with frustration. They will _hurt_ you, they will _beat_ you, they will even _deprive you of food_ , but if you keep smiling and keep up your strength, and show them they can’t shake you?” He reached up and cupped his cheek. “You’ll make it through. They’ll realize they can’t touch you. That you’re too strong for them. And they’ll give up on trying to break you.”  
  
“Did they…do that to you?” Varian asked softly.  
  
Andrew nodded. “No matter what they did to me, I never screamed, I never cried. I just kept smiling. And they can’t kill us, they want us to stay alive, to suffer. If they wanted to kill us, they’d just execute us. So, if kicking us when we’re down doesn’t work, they just give up.” He got up and sat next to him. “And you’re not alone like _I_ was. If you need to cry, then I’ll shield you. We’ll muffle your cries and let your tears soak my shirt but they won’t see them, they won’t hear them.”  
  
Varian sniffled again and leaned into his chest, his metal chains digging into the man’s skin through his chest. “O-Okay…”  
  
“You’re not alone, kid. I got you.” He gently stroked his hair soothingly.  
  
Varian sniffled again, then began to softly, silently cry into his shirt, his body shaking but shielded from view by Andrew’s much larger one. Andrew bit his lip, silently cursing King Fredric for doing this. Whatever his reasons, whatever he’d done, prison was no place for a kid.  
  
Once again, Corona displayed their barbaric cruelty.  
  
\--  
  
A guard came with food and the key to Varian’s cuffs a few hours later. Andrew made sure Varian’s cheeks were dry and led him over to the door. Varian kept his head bowed and the guard glared in at them before putting the food in through a slot. “Come here, _alchemist_.”  
  
‘Alchemist?’ Andrew thought, glancing at the boy as he walked closer to the bars. The guard opened the door and yanked him out before he pushed him against another guard, who held him still as his cuffs were unlocked and his collar removed.  
  
This was normal, routine, even Andrew had been put through the same thing.  
  
“Now,” Varian’s face was roughly gripped, “you’ll _behave_ yourself, or we’ll have to be _rough_ with you, understand?”  
  
“Rough?” Varian laughed bitterly. “What do you call _this_ , then?”  
  
The guard slapped him, hard, and he was shoved back into the cell and into Andrew’s arms. “This was _gentle_.” The guard sneered at him after the door was slammed shut and locked. “The _Saporian_ knows what I mean.”  
  
Andrew didn’t let his words affect him, and he just gave him a pleasant smile before letting Varian go and picking up their food. “A pleasant day to you, sir.” He said, handing Varian his tray.  
  
The guard scoffed and walked off with the other one.  
  
Andrew waited until they were gone and then his smile faded and he looked at Varian. “You okay?”  
  
“I’m fine.” He went to sit on the other cot and eat.  
  
Andrew sat on his own and started to eat his own food, watching as the boy gave some of his food to his pet raccoon. In fact, he seemed to be giving _most_ of it to his pet, leaving only a little for himself that was finished off far too quickly. Andrew sighed and got up to walk over and offer his own food.  
  
“What’s this?” The boy asked, blinking at his food in surprise.  
  
“You need to eat, you’re still growing. I’ll manage.” Andrew assured him.  
  
Varian accepted the food, looking at him like he’d seen a ghost. Andrew just walked over to sit back on his cot.  
  
“But, you need to eat.” Varian insisted.  
  
“ _You_ need to more. Like I said, I’ll manage.” Andrew waved it off.  
  
\--  
  
Varian couldn’t understand this guy. He barely knew him, but he comforted him, gave him advice, and now he was giving him his food. Why did he care so much? _No one_ cared about him, that’s why he was _in_ here! But then…maybe that’s why _Andrew_ was in here, too.  
  
He'd heard about a Separatist of Saporia attacking shortly after the Science Expo, but that was… _months_ ago. Did no one care about _him_ , either? Why was he still in here? Maybe…they were all each other had.  
  
He sighed and quietly started to eat, glancing up at the man as he did so. He couldn’t understand why he was being so _nice_.  
  
“…What do you want?” He asked.  
  
The man looked startled by the question, then a little offended. “Does _everything_ have to have an ulterior motive?”  
  
“No one does anything for nothing.” Varian insisted. Except him. The number of times he’d done _anything_ for _nothing_ …it was why he was here now. He’d been cut into and then left to bleed too many times, with half-hearted apologies as badly-applied bandages.  
  
“…Who hurt you?” The man asked, getting up and walking over to him again. “I know that you did all those bad things you told me about…but why did you do it? _Who hurt you_?”  
  
Varian’s eyes widened at his question and then his lip trembled. He looked at him so kindly, with such concern in his olive-green eyes. He sniffled and gripped his tray, looking down at it. “Everyone.” He whispered.  
  
He saw Andrew’s hand gently ease the tray out of his grip and he let him take it. Then he was being pulled into the man’s chest again, his strong hands resting on his back and the back of his head soothingly.  
  
“Not anymore.” Andrew said softly. “I’ll make sure no one hurts you again, no matter _what_ I have to go through.”  
  
Varian clutched at his vest, so much like his father’s. “Do you promise?” He whispered, daring to hope for a promise being kept _for once_.  
  
“I promise.” Andrew assured him gently. “I won’t let them hurt you. I’ll take anything they intend to do to you and endure it all.”  
  
“You shouldn’t…you don’t even _know_ me.” Varian drew back a bit.  
  
“I know you’re a kid that’s been put in a bad place, a kid who’s been seriously hurt.” Andrew tilted his chin up, looking him in the eyes. “And you should _never_ feel like it was _your_ fault you went through it. _No one_ is to blame for your pain but the adults that _hurt_ you.”  
  
Varian smiled shakily, tears slipping down his cheeks.  
  
\--  
  
That night, Andrew held him as he drifted off to sleep, stroking his hair soothingly. Varian kept trying to fight sleep, and was still barely fighting it when he heard footsteps approaching and Andrew slowly moved from his side.  
  
“Just sleep, kid.” Andrew assured him, taking off his vest and draping it over his head. “I’ll make sure you’re not hurt.”  
  
The vest was warm and smelled like him. It was a comforting scent, and the final blow to his attempts to stay awake. He barely noticed the sound of the cell door opening as he drifted off.  
  
\--  
  
The next morning, he was woken up by Andrew, who offered him breakfast. Ruddiger was already chowing down on Varian’s food, but Varian noticed he left half of it for Varian. It was so weird, he considered, being treated so nicely by those people would see as…well, undesirable. But then, he was one of them now, wasn’t he?  
  
“Morning, little bird.” A familiar voice taunted. Varian sat up and Andrew moved a protective arm around him.  
  
“Relax, I won’t hurt you.” The guard said, chuckling. “You see what happens when you escape your cage? You get shoved into a smaller one. Should’ve just stayed put in Old Corona, hmm?”  
  
Varian clutched at Andrew’s vest as the man held him closer, glaring at the guard.  
  
“Varian, do you _know_ him?” He asked.  
  
“He…he’s one of the men who…who…” Varian held on tighter. “I was…corralled at my own home for _weeks_ …he was one of them. I recognize his voice.”  
  
“That’s right, little bird. And if you don’t behave yourself in here, well, I’d _love_ to lay my hands on you again and hear you scream like you did before.” He grinned in a menacing way. “Did you know, no one up there can hear you scream in here. We could do _anything_ to you and no one would know.”  
  
“I was _assured_ he wouldn’t be _touched_.” Andrew said firmly.  
  
“Oh, don’t worry. I won’t do anything like _that_ to him for a few years yet.” He chuckled. “He’s so small, I might rip him in half!”  
  
Varian’s brow furrowed. What were they talking about? He was afraid to ask, and buried his face in Andrew’s chest, instead.  
  
“Well, behave yourself and you won’t have to worry about any pain. Maybe, if you’re _really good_ , we’ll see about taking you out for walks at night, heavily supervised and leashed. Like a little puppy.” The guard laughed and the other guards joined in.  
  
Varian didn’t reply and Andrew just held him closer, Ruddiger hissing at the man.  
  
“Welcome to High-Security, Varian. I’m sure we’ll _all_ enjoy your stay.” The guard grinned and the other guards laughed.  
  
\--  
  
Varian soon found out what they meant when he was roughly pulled out for a cold shower he didn’t ask for, supervised. Andrew was with him, and he did what he could to improve the situation, but it was still humiliating. After that, he was told to get dressed and then they were taken to a room where they were forced to make horseshoes, something that made Andrew scowl just looking at them.  
  
“Coronans are so barbaric.” Andrew muttered as they worked, heavily supervised, in the hot room.  
  
Varian sighed, missing Ruddiger. He hadn’t been allowed to go with, and had even been locked into a smaller cage to keep him from trying to follow.  
  
“Here, lunch.” One of them said, bringing them sandwiches.  
  
Varian blinked, surprised by the meal. Why were they being given something as nice as ham sandwiches? He glanced at the guard, wondering if he knew that this was Varian’s favorite meal. Was this…a reward?  
  
“I’m not eating this.” Andrew said firmly. “Why are you making me do all this?”  
  
“You’ve been so resistant to the _beatings_ , we thought we’d mix things up.” A guard sneered at him. “Besides, your little _friend_ seems to be enjoying it.”  
  
Andrew glanced away. “Different culture, I understand that.” He handed Varian his sandwich, dropping it in front of him on the wooden table like it was on fire.  
  
The guard came over and grabbed Andrew’s face roughly, picking up the abandoned sandwich and biting off a piece before he shoved his mouth against his. Andrew jerked and jolted in response and Varian set down his food.  
  
“Hey! Don’t do that!” He cried. “You’re hurting him!”  
  
“This is _prison_ , Varian.” The guard that had corralled him taunted. “We do whatever we _want_ here.”  
  
The guard that was holding Andrew pulled back and laughed as Andrew wiped at his mouth feverishly and looked like he was going to be sick.  
  
“Andrew…?” Varian looked at him with concern. “What…what is it?”  
  
“I…don’t eat meat.” Andrew said with a grimace. “And my people don’t use horseshoes. This…it’s all for _my_ benefit. They’ll probably plan something to torture _you_ psychologically with, too.”  
  
Varian paled. He’d heard of prison being _terrible_ , but _psychological torture_?  
  
He grabbed Andrew’s sandwich and gobbled it up before any more could be forced down the man’s throat, as well as his own. The guards just laughed and let him do it, the damage already done.  
  
Then they were taken back to work and Varian glared at the guards as he nudged Andrew away and worked on his share, his expression focused. Andrew had said he would protect him from harm, but that didn’t mean he still had to endure this kind of stuff without any assistance! Besides, this kind of work was his forte. Working a forge, building something, it was in his element and he got a lot more done than Andrew would’ve with his reluctance, and better quality.  
  
Psychological torture? Please. After what King Frederic and his own blunders had put him through, he was ready to face whatever _they_ had in mind.  
  
\--  
  
After a while of that, they were taken back to their cell and Ruddiger was let out of the cage and fed. So, as long as he was a good boy and did as he was told, they wouldn’t hurt him. He could manage that.  
  
He still felt creeped out when they dragged him and Andrew off for their evening bath before dinner. The guard that had corralled him, who had introduced himself as Lucas while he was working on the horseshoes earlier, was especially grabby and wouldn’t let him scrub himself. Andrew wasn’t allowed to, either, and Varian saw that this was upsetting him but didn’t say anything. He didn’t want to give them more reason to _laugh_ after all.  
  
“There, all clean.” Lucas taunted as they were rinsed off and dried. Then they were allowed to dress themselves and taken back to their cell where dinner was waiting.  
  
\--  
  
After dinner, Varian curled up with Andrew and the man held him tightly.  
  
“Don’t let them know you’re affected by it.” He said softly. Andrew may have experience with enduring _physical_ wounds with a smile, but Varian had _years_ of _psychological_ wounds that he’d learned how to cover up. “Just like you told me earlier. They _want_ to see you miserable. It brings them a sick pleasure to see and hear you cry in here. So, whether physical or psychological, you hide your reactions.” He smiled up at him.  
  
Andrew chuckled. “Yeah…I guess. They’ve just…never done that before. I was never taken out of the cell before, aside from bathing.”  
  
Varian sighed. “They’re terrible.”  
  
“They are.” Andrew nodded. “But…” He smiled and held him closer. “We’re strong.”  
  
“We are.” Varian nodded.  
  
“Are you two still awake?” Lucas asked teasingly.  
  
They didn’t reply and went silent, closing their eyes to appear asleep. The man just chuckled and they heard footsteps as he resumed his pacing the block.  
  
\--  
  
The next day, it was Varian’s turn. After breakfast, they were showered and dressed and given cloaks to wear. Then they were blindfolded and cuffed and forced along to somewhere they didn’t know. Varian wished he had Ruddiger with him. He didn’t know where they were going.  
  
They were lifted onto something wooden and then they heard someone say “Hyah!” before they heard galloping hooves on stone. They were kept still by guards holding them tightly, and Varian could heard Andrew letting out a soft grunt but the blindfold kept him from seeing why.  
  
Finally, they stopped and were hauled off the wooden cart – Varian guessed – and forced to walk. Once they finally stopped again, Varian’s blindfold was removed and he gasped.  
  
He'd been brought to Old Corona, to face his father, what he’d done. The lab was damaged still from when he’d burst out of the floor with the automaton and his father was still…still…  
  
He turned his face away, but Lucas grabbed his face and forced him to look. “What’s the matter, Varian? Don’t you want to see your daddy? Why don’t you say ‘hi’? Oh, wait. You can’t.” He smirked. “Because _you did this to him_.”  
  
Varian closed his eyes, his lips pursed. He refused to show that this affected him. He would resist the urge to cry, to scream, to do _anything_. His father wasn’t here. He was back in prison. He wasn’t in Old Corona right now.  
  
“How about a game?” Lucas asked suddenly.  
  
“…A game?” Varian looked at him.  
  
“Yeah.” He grinned. “Don’t worry, I talked to the King about this. We’ll play a nice little game of _tag_. If you manage to make it out of here and, oh, maybe through that gap in the wall out there, we’ll let you go. Maybe you can even catch up with the Princess on her big, magical quest. But, if we _catch_ you, well…” he chuckled, “you don’t go free. What do you _say_ , kiddo? Wanna play tag?”  
  
Varian looked at him in disbelief. “…So…if I evade you and get to the wall…we’re _free_? And the King _okayed_ this?”  
  
“Think you can manage it?” He chuckled. “Of course, you’re still doing it cuffed.”  
  
Varian looked at the cuffs on his wrists and ankles, weighing his chances. He looked at Andrew, who was looking at him silently. “…I don’t have Ruddiger.” He realized. “If I succeed, will I get Ruddiger back?”  
  
He turned to see a guard walking over carrying Ruddiger in a cage. “Absolutely. So, what do you say? Shall we play?” Lucas asked with a grin.  
  
Varian looked at Andrew again, hoping for any form of advice. Andrew looked at a loss, though, apparently, he’d never had this kind of thing offered to him. He closed his eyes, thinking of all the time he nearly made it out, if only he could get over the wall…  
  
“I’ll do it.” He said softly.  
  
Their cloaks were removed and they were brought to the door. “We’ll give you a ten second head-start.” Lucas said as the door was opened for them. “The countdown starts as soon as you step outside.”  
  
Varian looked at Andrew. “…You ready?”  
  
Andrew nodded, but he looked uncertain. “Are you?”  
  
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Varian nodded and then they both stepped outside, then took to a run. The chains weighed them down and kept them from running too fast, but at least they were able to run at all. It occurred to Varian that the shackles he’d worn to his trial were heavier. These were deliberately chosen for this.  
  
They ran from the manor, down the path, heading around to the large gap in the wall left by the black rocks. Behind them, they could heard the guards running out after them. A few moved in front and they weaved around them, but it was difficult with the chains. The guards were quickly gaining on them and they were getting tired of the chains weighing them down. Just a little further…  
  
Varian yelped as his hair was grabbed and an arm wrapped around his waist. Andrew was a bit further ahead, but he stopped and allowed himself to be caught as well as soon as he realized Varian had been caught.  
  
“Ohhh, nice try.” Lucas taunted. “Better luck next time! Let’s take them back home.” He carried Varian to the cart and put the cloak back onto him. Andrew let himself be put on without trouble, the cloak put back on him, and then they were blindfolded again and their hoods pulled up to cover their identities as they were taken back.  
  
“Better luck next time”, Lucas had said. Which meant that this chance may come again. But, was it an actual chance, or a taunt? Did they intend to break his spirit by offering him the chance for freedom and then having it ripped away from him at the last second?  
  
He steeled his resolve and mentally prepared for “next time”. No matter how often he had to try, he’d get out. And then he’d make King Frederic pay.  
  
\--  
  
Back in prison, they were bathed and then Ruddiger was returned to him as they were locked into their cell again.  
  
Tomorrow may be another psychological test, or it may just be a day of being stuck in the cell. Varian’s hand found Andrew’s as they silently promised each other to never give in to whatever happened to them in here.  
  
They’d get out, no matter how long it took.  
  
End

**Author's Note:**

> How long can they hold onto hope before despair rips it away from them for good?
> 
> ((A/N: I actually started this a while ago and kept struggling to figure out how I wanted to write it and still be canon compliant. I think I did okay.))


End file.
